In 1976 a young man and his new bride moved from Baltimore, Maryland to Houston, Texas with the American dream to start their own company. Ken and Diane Akre wanted to build a business that could be profitable and sustainable but also ethical, compassionate, and moral. Having started his career in the collection industry, Ken saw firsthand how easily empathy and humanity could be lost and forgotten in this industry for the sake of quick and easy profits. He was sure that there must be a better way – especially in the world of healthcare, where most debt that is incurred is unanticipated and often quite burdensome. Together, Ken and Diane set out to prove it.
Starting in their apartment living room, they pioneered down an unknown path to perform collections – specifically healthcare collections in a new way – a way that could be a bridge between a patient that is struggling to pay their bills and a physician who should be compensated for their work, their knowledge, and their years of expertise and schooling. Ken and Diane stood firmly on the conviction that they would “never take food off a family’s table.” The family was an extremely important entity to them, and they believed it to be an integral part of American culture and should be honored, protected, and preserved. They worked diligently and tirelessly to create effective processes and mechanisms for communicating with patients without harassing or hostile means but with respect for what patients are experiencing. As the years passed and the business grew, SCS became an extremely well-known, respected, and successful leader in the healthcare collections industry. Ken and Diane moved SCS out of their living room apartment and into a corporate space allowing them to provide jobs and create opportunities for others. Exploring new technologies and creating better collection tools was a welcomed challenge that Ken and Diane fermented into the company mindset, which still holds strong today.
Ken and Diane enjoyed spending time with their friends and colleagues, but mostly their three daughters and, eventually their grandkids. They believed in giving back to the community and holding others above themselves. Their legacy of compassion and kindness lives on every day in how Specialized Collection Systems, Inc. continues to revolutionize the world of collections – proving that there is a better way – a healthier way.
Want to learn more about SCS?
Visit our Team page to meet our group of highly skilled, seasoned and knowledgeable employees.